Buildings as material stores and material stories

Community21 is working on an EU funded Interreg project that looks at urban waste-streams as a basis for developing more sustainable homes.

Community21's founder Nick Gant is working with leading architect Duncan Baker-Brown, waste expert Dr Ryan Woodard and Ben Bosence of Localworks Studio with partners in the UK and France to explore opportunities from waste.

The project has used Community21's open mapping tool to assess waste resources that could be utilised in building new social housing in the city.

Community21's founder Nick Gant is also working with the team to explore the visual language, material culture and stories that emerge from the mapping exercise - thus supporting new proposals for local building vernacular architecture that is quite literally 'of its place'.

The project explores both the material and social fabric of the city as a means to make a more meaningful and aspirational and sustainable material city.

Abundant resources / waste from place

Local demolition rubble and oyster shell

Exterior tile on Waste House constructed by Ben Bosence

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